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Two Christians critically injured following attack on Indian church during worship service

A protester holds a placard during a rally by hundreds of Christians against recent attacks on churches nationwide, in Mumbai February 9, 2015. | Reuters/Danish Siddiqui

Two Christians were critically injured after a radical Hindu mob attacked a church in India's Chhattisgarh State during a worship service on Sunday.

According to a report from International Christian Concern (ICC), a mob of more than 300 radical Hindus interrupted the Sunday service and beat the congregants at the Bastar for Christ Movement Church in Jasapara village in the Dantewada District.

The extremists allegedly dragged the worshippers out of the church and demanded that they renounce their faith in Christ. When they refused, they were beaten with sticks and slippers. The mob went on to strip the Christian women and set fire to the church's furniture, according to witnesses.

Nine worshippers were seriously injured, including the two Christians who were in critical condition at the government hospital in Dantewada.

"The attack on Jaripara's Christians is inhuman and highly condemnable," a local pastor told ICC.

"These attacks are popping up on the backdrop of the state elections that are nearing. The [Bharatiya Janata Party], who is in power in the state, makes it all the more easy for the Hindu radicals to carry on the hate campaign against religious minorities for the political gains," the pastor continued.

ICC noted that the local authorities initially refused to cooperate and file a report about the incident when the Christians contacted the police.

Local Christians have claimed that a First Information Report (FIR) was filed by Hindu radicals against the Christian community prior to the attack.

The police only agreed to accept the case after local Christians protested for more than 24 hours, but there are still doubts as to whether the authorities will arrest the perpetrators.

ICC's Regional Manager, William Stark, lamented that attacks on churches and Christians in India are becoming "an almost daily occurrence."

He said that Indian Christians "feel like second-class citizens," adding that the authorities appear to be allowing Hindu radicals across the country to "pursue their hate campaigns against Christians and other minorities."

"This inability or unwillingness to protect and enforce the rights of Christians must come to an end," Stark contended.

India is currently ranked by Open Doors USA as the 15th worst country in the world when it comes to persecution of Christians.

Incidents of persecution in India have skyrocketed this year, with 410 reported cases of harassment, threats or attacks against Christians in the first six months of 2017. In contrast, there were 441 cases reported by Open Doors USA for the entirety of 2016.